Plate straightening machine



F. UNGERER PLATE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Filed March 29, 19:54

. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \IIII In x llll N all I u! all 14 PLATE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Filed March 29, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a i s z i Patented June 16, 1935 2,044,373 I rm'ra smarcn'rama e1. 1.

Fritz Ungerer, Pforzheim,

Application March 29,

In Germany September 25, 1933 8 Claims.

The straightening of metal sheets, especially the hot straightening with the known plate straightening machines with thin straightening rolls presents difliculties which are overcome to a very great extent by the plate straightening machine hereinafter described.

The novelty of the plate straightening machine according to the invention consists in that the supporting rollers, a pair of which belongs 19 to one supporting point of a straightening roll, are not arranged the one behind the other in the direction in which the sheets pass through the machine, but are mutually displaced.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows the improved straightening machine in front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the straightening roll supporting means of the construction shown in Fig. 1, with upper and lower row of straightening rolls in cross-section.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a modified form of straightening roll supporting means with lower 5 row of straightening rolls in cross section.

Fig. 4 shows in top plan view the straightening roll supporting means according to Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a central section of a supporting roll and its journal, the supporting roller bearing bracket shown in cross section.

Fig. 6 shows in elevation a supporting roller with a portion of the bearing bracket.

The hollow base frame a of the plate straightening machine carries uprights b in which upper and lower straightening rolls 0 and d are directly mounted in known manner. In the first form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 supporting rollers e and f are arranged along both the upper and the lower straightening rolls 0 and 11 respectively. Whereas the bearing brackets g of the upper supporting rollers e are carried by a yoke h and thus participate in the adjusting movements of this yoke, the bearing brackets i of the lower supporting rollers I rest on separate adjusting means which, in the example illustrated, are constructed as screw spindles k which are turned in nuts 0 with the aid of worm gears m, n. The drive of the worms n, which are situated behind the worm wheels m in Fig. 1, is efiected by means of a hand wheel p and a continuous worm shaft q. According to the direction in which the hand wheel is turned, the spindles k are screwed into or out of the screw nuts 0 supported on the base frame a so that lowering or raising of the lower supporting rollers f 1934, Serial No. 717,958

takes place, which rollers are rotatably mounted on axles f1 projecting, according to the invention, from the two flanks of the bearing brackets-i.

As the main point, when rolling sheets in hot condition, is the stretching or lengthening of the middle section of the sheet metal plates moving between the straightening rolls e and d, a more or less great deflecting of the lower straightening rolls (2 towards the upper rolls 0 must take place according to the amount of stretching. For this purpose the adjusting means k, m and n are preferably so constructed that the raising of the supporting rollers f corresponds to the desired curve of deflection of the lower straightening rolls :1, that is to say, the two outer rows of supporting rollers are raised less than the middle row of supporting rollers during one and the same adjustment rotation of the hand wheel 50. This can be attained in three difierent ways. The ratio of transmission of the worm gears m, n rotating the middle spindles k may, when the middle and outer spindles lc have the same screw pitch, be difierent from those of the worm gears m, n which rotate the outer spindles and are driven by the same shaft q as the worm gears m, n of the middle spindles is. However, if the middle and outer worm gears m, n have the same ratio of transmission, the screw pitch of the middle spindles k may be difierentv from that of the outer spindles It. Finally, both the ratios of transmission of the middle and outer worm gears m, n and also the screw pitches of the middle and outer spindles k may be difierent. The ratios of transmission of the worm gears m, n and the screw pitches of the spindles It must be chosen according to the purpose for which the machine is to be employed, so that the middle lower straightening rolls d must be deflected to any desired amount towards the material to be straightened.

Instead of intercoupling all the adjusting means of the supporting rollers f in the manner above described, so that all the bearing brackets i perform a predetermined up and down movement at the same time during the turning of the hand wheel p, the adjusting means may be so constructed that each bearing bracket 2' is brought into the desired supporting position absolutely independently of the others. This may be effected, for example, by mounting each worm n coordinated to a bearing bracket 2' separately and loosely on the worm driving shaft q, these brackets being, however, provided with coupling means which enable the brackets to be coupled with the shaft q as required.

As is known, the sheet metal plates, such as they run out of the rolling mill in uncut condition into the annealing furnace and thence into the hot plate straightening machine have very ragged ends. The jags and teeth are often directed upwards and downwards and can lead to serious breakdowns when the plates are passing through the straightening machine. It has been found that one or another of the teeth which pass into the spaces between the upper or lower straightening rolls, is often torn off, the glowing material passes between the straightening rolls and drops out. The removal and dropping of the torn off pieces without hindrance is particularly facilitated by the construction and arrangement of the straightening roll supporting means according to the invention.

Each supporting point of a straightening roll or d comprises, according to the first form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, two supporting rollers e and respectively which are situated one on each side of the vertical longitudinal central plane of each straightening roll 0 or d, so that these straightening rolls are supported not only in upward or downward direction, but also in horizontal plane. In the straightening machine illustrated in Fig. 1 each straightening roll 0 or d has, besides its two journal bearings in the uprights b, three supporting points, namely two outer supporting points and one central supporting point which are formed by six supporting rollers e and f respectively in all. According to the invention the two supporting rollers e and 1 respectively, coordinated to a supporting point, are not situated the one behind the other in the direction in which the plates pass through the machine, but they are mutually displaced. Thus, it is not only possible to employ supporting rollers e, f of much larger diameter as compared with the diameters of the supporting rollers of the known plate straightening machines, so that an easy co-rotation takes place owing to increase in the turning moment of the rollers, but the distance 1' between the succeeding rollers e, I must be so great, that torn off scraps of sheet metal can more easily pass therebetween. As further the central axes, and consequently the journal bearings of the rollers e, f are at a greater distance from the straightening rolls c and d respectively than in the known plate straightening machines, owing to the employment of larger supporting rollers, greater distances 8 may also be left between the bearing brackets y and i and the straightening rolls 0 and d respectively, so that any scraps remaining stuck in these gaps can easily be removed.

The overhanging arrangement of the axles ii of the supporting rollers e, f on both flanks of the bearing brackets 57 and 1' respectively presents the great advantage that torn off pieces of sheet metal can pass unimpeded towards the free side of the rollers and that the supporting means is directly accessible from this side, without any .hindrance by bearing members, such as are prorollers in the known plate The distribution of the supporting rollers x on the different flanks of the bearing bracket in may be efiected by employing a bracket with four flanks, so that the diameters of the supporting rollers a: can be chosen much larger than in the form of construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Screw spindles k are employed by way of example as adjusting means.

The dripping 'on of lubricant from the supporting roll bearings, which is extremely detril0 mental to the material to be straightened, is also avoided in a novel manner.

The axles ii for the supporting rollers are rigidly mounted in the bearing brackets i and have a central bore t, in which cooling water flows during the service from and out through bores i1 and is, thereby cooling the journals f1 and the rollers f. Lubricant flows through another bore is in the bearing bracket i on to the bearing surface 1: of the axle f1, which lubricant, in spite of the cooling of the journal, may become very fluid under the great heat at which the hot rolling is carried out and ooze out of the roller bearing. Inorder to prevent the drops produced in this manner from dripping on to the material being straightened, the surfaces of the roller bearing are made narrower than the ring of supporting roller and catching grooves 11. are provided, one on each side of each of the rollers e and j, from which the oil drops cannot escape because the grooves are partly closed on the outer side by flanges m. The provision of the grooves is facilitated by the considerably greater diameter of the supporting rollers. In order to prevent drops of oil caught in the grooves in and rotating with the rollers from dripping off the edge u: of the flange during the rotation of' the rollers e and f, plates 0 each provided with an inclined drip catching surface 01 extending into one of the grooves and terminating in a dripping 40 edge D2 are provided. This surface catches any drops dripping from the flange edge u: and conducts them either to the axle f1 or back into the catching groove u until the drops are evaporated or burned. To enable any residues from com- 5 bustion and other dirt to be easily blown out of the grooves u with compressed air, these grooves are interconnected within the rollers e, j by passages it: which extend at an incline to the central axis of the rollers and lead alternately to the bottoms of the two grooves.

By the arrangement of the cooling and lubricating conduits in the interior of the bearing brackets and journals, torn off pieces of sheet metal passing between the supporting rolls are prevented from damaging the water and oil conduits situated at this point as in known straightening machines.

The cooling water entering the bearing brackets 1'. flows, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, into the hollow base frame a and the machine yoke h respectively, so that these elements are cooled and the whole machine is maintained at an approximately uniform temperature when running, so that jamming and binding caused by 05 differences of temperature is prevented in the adjustable mechanical parts.

I claim:-

1. A plate straightening machine, especially for straightening hot sheet metal plates, comprising in combination upper and lower rows of straightening rolls and adjustable supporting rollers arranged in pairs adapted toflex said straightening rolls towards the plates to be straightened, one supporting roller of each pair arranged in front of and the other behind each straightening roll and each pair of rollers forming a supporting point for one of said straighteningrolls, the rollers of each supporting point being laterally displaced the one to the other and not located directly the one behind the other, so that the diameters of the supporting rollers can be larger than those of the straightening rolls.

2: A plate straightening machine, especially for straightening hot sheet metal plates, comprising in combination upper and lower rows of straightening rolls and adjustable supporting rollers arranged in pairs adapted to flex said straightening rolls towards the plates to be straightened, one supporting roller of each pair arranged in front of and the other behind each straightening roll and each pair of rollers form ing a supporting point for one of said straightening rolls, the rollers of each Supporting point being laterally displaced the one to the other and not located directly the one behind the other, so that the diameters of the supporting rollers can be larger than those of the straightening rolls, the pairs of supporting rollers being arranged in at least one row extending along each rowof straightening rolls in the direction in which the plates run through the machine, each row of pairs of supporting rollers being mounted on a separate bearing bracket, said bearing bracket carrying overhanging axles, on each of which a supporting roller is rotatably mounted.

3. A plate straightening machine, especially for straightening hot sheet metal plates, comprising in combination upper and lower rows of straightening rolls and adjustable supporting rollers arranged in pairs for flexing said straightening rolls'towards the plates to be straightened, one supporting roller of each pair arranged in front of the other behind each straightening roll and each pair of rollers forming a supporting point for its straightening roll, the rollers of each supporting point being laterally displaced the one to the other and not located directly the one behind the other so that the diameters of the supporting rollers can be larger than those of the straightening rolls, the pairs of supporting rollers being arranged in at least one row extending along each row of the straightening rolls, in the direction in which the plates run through the machine, each row of pairs of supporting rollers being mounted on a separate bearing bracket, said bearing-bracket carrying overhanging axles, on each of which a supporting roller is rotatably mounted, the overhanging axles divided on both sides of a bearing bracket formed by a beam so that one supporting roller of a pair forming a supporting point is situated on one side and the other supporting roller on the other side of the beam.

4. A plate straightening machine, especially for straightening hot sheet metal plates, comprising in combination upper and lower rows of straightening rolls and adjustable supporting rollers arranged in pairs and adapted to flex said straightening rolls, one supporting roller of each pair arranged in front of and the other behind each straightening roll and each pair of rollers forming a supporting point for its straightening roll, the rollers of each supporting point being laterally displaced the one to the other and not located directly the one behind the other, so that the diameters of the supporting rollers can be larger than those of the straightening rolls, the pairs of supporting rollers being arranged in at least one row, extending along each row of the straightening rolls, in the direction in which the plates run through the machine, each row of pairs of supporting rollers being mounted on a separate bearing bracket, said bearing bracket carrying overhanging axles, on each of which a 5 supporting roller is rotatably mounted, and a rim on each supporting roller having grooves adapted to catch any oil oozing out of the roller bearings.

5. A plate straightening machine, especially for straightening hot sheet metal plates, com- 10 prising in combination upper and lower rows of straightening rolls and adjustable supporting rollers arranged in pairs, adapted to flex said straightening rolls towards the plates to be straightened, one supporting roller of each pair-'15 arranged in front of and the other behind each straightening roll and each pair of rollers forming a supporting point for its straightening roll, the rollers of each supporting point being laterally displaced the one to the other and not located 0 directly the one behind the other, so that the diameters of the supporting rollers can be larger than those of the straightening rolls, the pairs of supporting rollers being arranged in at least one row extending along each row of the straight- 25 ening rolls, in the direction in which the plates run through the machine, each row of pairs of supporting rollers being mounted on a separate bearing bracket, said bearing bracket carrying overhanging axles, on each of which a support- 30 ing roller is rotatably mounted, each supporting roller provided on each side with an oil catching groove, partly closed on the outer side by a flange,

.elements on the overhanging axles one on each side of each roller, each element having a drip 35 catching face extending at an incline to the central axis of said axle and terminating in a dripping edge adapted to conduct any drops dripping from the flange of said grooves alternately to said axle and back to said groove.

6. A plate straightening machine, especially for straigthening hot sheet metal plates, comprising in combination upper and lower rows of straightening rolls and adjustable supporting rollers arranged in pairs and adapted to flex said straightening rolls towards the plates to be straightened, one supporting roller of each pair arranged in front of and the other behind each straightening roll and each pair of rollers forming a supporting point for its straightening roll, said rollers of each supporting point being laterally displaced the one to the other and not located directly the one behind the other, so that the diameters of the supporting rollers can be larger than those of the straightening rolls, the pairs of supporting rollers being arranged in at least one row extending along each row of the straightening rolls, in the direction in which the plates run through the machine, each row of pairs of supporting rollers being mounted on a separate bearing bracket, said bearing brackets carrying overhanging axles, on each of which a supporting roller is rotatably mounted, each of the supporting rollers having two oil catching grooves, one on each side and interconnected by channels to facilitate the cleaning of said grooves, the said channels extending alternately to the bottom of the two. grooves.

7 A plate straightening machine, especially for straightening hot sheet metal plates, comprising V front of and the other behind each straightening roll and each pair of rollersforming a supporting point tor the straightening roll, the rollers oi each supporting point being laterally displaced the one to the other and not located directly the one behind the other, thus the diameters of. the supporting rollers can be larger than those of the straightening rolls, the pairs of supporting rollers being arranged in at least one row extending along each row of the straightening rolls, in the direction in which the plates run through the machine, each row of pairs of supporting rollers being mountedon a separate bearing bracket, said bearing bracket carrying overhanging axles, on each of which a supporting roller is rotatably mounted, said bearing brackets and overhanging axles provided with es for supplying and discharging cooling water.

8. A plate straightening machine, especially for straightening hot sheet metal plates, comprising in combination upper and lower rows of straightening rolls and adjustable supporting rollers arranged in pairs and adapted to flex said straightening rolls towards the plates to be straightened,

front of and the other behind each straightening roll and each pair of rollers forming a supporting point for the straightening roll, the rollers 0! each supporting point laterally displaced the one to the other and not located directly the one behind the other, so that the diameters of the supporting rollers can be larger than those of the straightening rolls, the pairs oi supporting rollers being arranged in at least one row extending along each row 0! the straightening rolls, in the direction in which the plates run through the machine, each row of pairs 01' supporting rollers being mounted on a separate bearing bracket, said bearing bracket carrying overhanging axles on each oi which a supporting roller is rotatably mounted, said bearing brackets and overhanging axles provided with passages ior supplying and discharging cooling water, machine parts carrying the upper and lower straightening rolls, and means for conveying the cooling water from said bearing brackets through said machine parts of equalize the temperature throughout the machine.

- FRITZ UNGERER. 

